The Joy of Life, drawing [kinderSCHTICK]
Joie d’ Vivre (jwah d’ vev-ray) the French call it. The joy of life, good friends, good food, and good wine. Ah, those French. They know how to live. I have a 5 year old daughter named Katie who, for me, epitomizes this attitude. My wife and I were sitting on the front porch one night while our daughter was being her usual exuberant self. The things that she says always get us laughing. This particular evening was no different. I told my wife that we didn’t need movies for entertainment we have Katie. She produces enough material for a book from her 5 year old imagination. I got to thinking that if I find her this entertaining then perhaps others will too. A few days later this thought came back to me while I was taking a break while working as a teacher. The students were either eating a snack or taking a nap. So, I started sketching. Suddenly, everything started to click and the ideas started rolling. My main idea is for a weekly comic strip featuring a charachter inspired by my daughter Katie. In fact, some of the names and characters come right out of her little world. It will be sort of a Calvin and Hobbes go to the Family Circus in Bloom County piece. I invite your comments, suggestions and critics. The title that I’m leaning to is [kinderSCHTICK]. Kinder as in kindergarten and schtick a yiddish word made popular during the Vaudeville days.
I got this idea because I forgot to put a dollar under my daughter’s pillow after she lost a tooth. I thought; “What if the tooth fairy ran out of money after a long night of making rounds? Times are hard and money is tight for everyone. So, why not the Tooth Fairy?” So, the saga of a little girl and her pet dinosaur (that only she can see of course) begins. His name is lucky, (I actually asked my daughter what name to give a pet dinosaur) because as he explains: “after 29 million years he I’m lucky to be here.” I picture him with a British accent and a very dry sense of humor. She also has a pet beta fish that everyone can see is a boy but she thinks its a girl. His name is Fred but she calls him Zoe. This gives the fish a neurotic identity crisis. We get to see how her parents cope with the never ending chain of events, while stuck between K.T.’s imagination and their world. They are constantly hoping that her reality check hasn’t bounced. I’m working on marketing this strip. Who knows maybe one day…. Actually the day is here and there is a [kinderSCHTICK] site. Go to www.kinderschtick.wordpress.com
To Katie my delightful 5 year old who inspires me: Thanks for all the laughs, Kiddo!
And to my friend Ashima who likes my socks and lounge pants: Never give up hope.
